Gautier travels to Watkins Stadium for not only the second time in just three weeks but just the second time ever in the history of the Gator football program as well Friday night as the two teams face off for the Class 5A South State championship. The game has been selected as the Bienville Sports Medicine Center/Encore Rehab “Kneed to See” Game of the Week”
These teams had met just once all time previously and that was 23 years ago until three weeks ago, and now the Gators and Golden Tornadoes will face off for the second time in less than a. month and for the third time ever. But more is on the line this time than ever before, as the winner of this one wins the Class 5A South State championship and a berth in next week’s Class 5A state championship game. Gautier has never played in the state championship, while Laurel has won three state crowns and played for three others. Gautier’s first trip ever “Between the Bricks” to Watkins Stadium in Laurel was that journey three weeks ago when Laurel captured the Region 4-5A title with a 48-30 win.
The game will feature the sports medicine staff from Bienville Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Center on the visitor’s sideline providing the best in athletic care to each team.
The total team, which includes physicians, certified athletic trainers and support staff, is over 30 people. Dr. Jeff Noblin and Dr. Robert Terrell were the founders of the program over 20 years ago.
Dr. Noblin joined Bienville Orthopaedic Specialists in 1997 and is a co-founder and co-medical director of the Sports Medicine Center of Bienville Orthopaedic Specialists.
He completed a sports medicine fellowship with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs (1996-97), and has worked many time at the NFL combine that precedes the annual NFL draft each year.
He was an All-Southeastern Conference performer as a safety at the University of Mississippi in 1986 and honorable mention All American that same year. He earned academic All American in 1986.
He was the recipient of the SEC Scholar Athlete Award in 1986 and the recipient of NCAA and National Football Foundation Hall of Fame post-graduate scholarships that same year.
He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He is a 1991 graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He served as the President of the Mississippi Orthopaedic Society from 2009 to 2010.
Dr.Noblin and Dr. Terrell were the innovators of a Saturday morning sports medicine clinic in Biloxi over 20 years ago that treated pep players from across the “Southern Six” for any injury issues the morning after the games on Friday night. That service, along with many others that the physicians and staff at Bienville and Encore Rehab and still continues to this day.
